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HS2 will create thousands of jobs and 2,000 apprenceships. As a result, Network Rail is providing two new colleges in Birmingham and Doncaster to train the next generaon of rail engineers. Nick Winton Divisional Manager for Reznor, explains what they will need to learn about heang train sheds.


uAbove: Network Rail is providing two new colleges in Birmingham and Doncaster to train the next generaon of rail engineers who will need to learn about radiant heang for rail sheds.


Making tracks for the future of HS2


igh Speed 2 (HS2) is one of the largest infrastructure projects that this country has ever seen, providing a new high-speed railway link between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. And Network Rail’s high speed rail colleges will offer new rail engineers the very best in teaching and specialist equipment.


H What to consider when heang a rail shed


Rail sheds can be used intermittently and at irregular intervals, making the efficient use of energy difficult. So consideration must be given to a heating system that offers flexibility of operation at optimum efficiency. Train maintenance sheds are invariably long and narrow with large doors opening constantly at each end. The doors are often the full width of the building and may be left open for many hours a day, thus creating a wind tunnel effect with cold air at high velocity being drawn through the shed. A heating system should be able to sustain a comfortable environment in these conditions and provide rapid recovery once the doors are closed. Air curtains over or to the side of the doors – either ambient or heated – can mitigate the issue of air infiltration at the doors.


Night maintenance compounds inhospitable climatic conditions and with partial occupation, it is important for energy efficiency, that the heating system can be zone controlled. When a cold and wet train enters the shed it creates a cold sink so the heating system needs to respond quickly to changed conditions.


Radiant heang


The primary source of radiant energy in the natural environment is the sun. Radiant heat warms all solid objects and surfaces in its path.


Reznor has exploited this concept in its energy efficient radiant heating systems. Radiant tube heaters, mounted overhead, produce infrared radiant heat that is directed downward by a reflector.


The infra-red heat passes through the air without heating it and falls on people, floors and equipment below creating comfortable all-round radiant warmth at low level, without wastefully heating the whole volume of the building or the roof space.


Because radiant heat can be controlled directionally, only the occupied areas of the building need to be heated, which enables considerable energy savings to be realised. The objective of radiant heating is to ensure that the building’s occupants are comfortably warm. Radiant heat warms objects and surfaces, increasing the mean radiant temperature and reducing the body's loss of heat to its surroundings. And by eliminating air movement, convective loss of heat from the body is also reduced.


Steam loco sheds


Due to the nature of the locomotive, vast amounts of steam are released, captured by massive hoods and released to atmosphere. When designing a heating system taking account of these hoods in the roof space is critical. 1. Most work undertaken on these locos is at low level, ensuring heat between the tracks on the platform and in the pits is vital.


2. Nor-Ray-Vac, due to its unique long lengths of radiant emitter, is an ideal solution for heating the long distances between trains.


3. Some rail sheds are over 300m long. Due to the size of the 22 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MAY 2018


sheds, the design of the heating system is paramount to ensure optimum zoning capabilities, both for client operational flexibility to minimise running costs and to ensure a rapid respond to changed conditions. Due to their age, the sheds were poorly insulated, with open doors at each end creating a massive wind tunnel. Radiant heating was the only realistic option.


Diesel loco sheds


Many of these sheds date back to the steam era and consequently some still lack good insulation. Diesel locos also have hoods to collect the diesel fumes from the engines, but due to the general atmosphere within these sheds the radiant heating system has to be designed to have ducted fresh air supply from outside to the gas burners. This ensures the filters within the burners are kept clean and not clogged from the diesel fumes. Again, points 1 to 3 (above) are relevant to heating these sheds.


Electric loco sheds (power via 3rd rail)


These sheds tend to be cleaner due to the lack of diesel fumes and do not require ducted air to the gas burners of a radiant heating system. Work on these trains is mainly at low level, so again the above points 1 to 3 are relevant.


Electric HS loco sheds (overhead power)


These sheds are mainly new and are well insulated. Unlike diesels, there is no requirement for ducted air to the gas burners of the radiant heating system. Work on electric locos has to be undertaken on top of the loco to maintain the power unit. These sheds have personnel staging for access to the top of the trains.


Staging has to be taken into account when designing radiant heating in this situation. The radiant emitter cannot be too close to the working area above the trains. The staging is normally in a defined location within the facility. This can challenge designers but it is achievable given sufficient roof height within the facility. The ability to be able to zone the radiant heating is paramount in such instances.


Evidence of success


Amongst other successful traincare applications, Reznor provided the ideal heating solution for the National College for High Speed Rail at Doncaster. Radiant heat (Nor-Ray- Vac) was specified as the heating system for the Large Scale Workshop comprising an area of 1,906m2 within the facility. uNRV system comprised 9 x 38LR burners arranged in 3 branches, suspended at 12m above finished floor level, with one discharge fan flue. uDue to the type of operation within the facility, i.e. training of students throughout the floor area, the system is controlled as one zone. uThe NRV system produces blanket uniform heat coverage for the complete workshop. uOperating costs are minimised by concentrating the heat at low level, where it is most needed, without heating the volume of air in the building. uRapid response times reduce running costs further. Such flexibility means that occupants feel warmth within minutes of start-up and no fuel is wasted bringing the whole volume of air to a comfortable temperature. uSince the Nor-Ray-Vac radiant system burns fuel at point of use, there are no distribution losses to take into account.


www.nortekhvac.com VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.bsee.co.uk ‘ The objecve of


radiant heang is to ensure that the building’s occupants are comfortably warm. Radiant heat warms objects and surfaces, increasing the mean radiant temperature and reducing the body's loss of heat to its surroundings. And by eliminang air movement, convecve loss of heat from the body is also reduced.


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uAbove: The rail shed in Stewarts Lane railway depot, Baersea, home to the Orient Express Steam train.


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